Senate Passes Peters and Cornyn Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Commercial Satellites from Cybersecurity Threats

WASHINGTON, DC - Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to help commercial satellite owners and operators defend against growing cybersecurity threats has passed in the Senate. Commercial satellites support GPS navigation, weather forecasts, agriculture, scientific research, global communications, and more. The senators' Satellite Cybersecurity Act of 2025 would help secure these critical satellites against attacks by hackers, foreign adversaries, and cybercriminals that could cause serious disruptions to our economic and national security. The legislation now heads to the House for consideration.

"Commercial satellites are essential to our national security, our economy, and the daily lives of Americans, so we must ensure they are not vulnerable to attacks from cybercriminals and foreign adversaries," said Senator Peters. "I'm glad that this bipartisan, commonsense legislation has passed the Senate. It's critically important that the U.S. businesses utilizing commercial satellites receive the support and resources needed to safeguard their satellite systems, especially as cybersecurity threats become more advanced."

"This legislation would ensure commercial satellite networks are secure against cyber threats and bad actors, and I look forward to it passing the House and heading to the President's desk soon," said Senator Cornyn.

The rise of small, affordable satellites has led to a sharp increase in the number of commercial satellites in orbit, but this proliferation has created new risks. Many satellites transmit sensitive data without adequate safeguards, leaving them vulnerable to interception and cyberattacks. Recent studies showed that roughly half of surveyed satellite signals were unencrypted despite the sensitive information or private data they carried.

The Satellite Cybersecurity Act of 2025 requires the Department of Commerce, in coordination with other federal agencies, to develop voluntary cybersecurity recommendations tailored to satellites. It directs the Department of Commerce to create a publicly available online clearinghouse so companies can easily access best practices and information to secure their systems. The legislation also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine efforts to secure commercial satellites from cybersecurity threats, identify any duplication of effort, and assess how satellite systems integrate into critical infrastructure sectors.

The legislation is supported by the Satellite Industry Association and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).

Peters continues to lead efforts to ensure our nation is equipped to defend against cyberattacks. Peters' historic, bipartisan provision to require critical infrastructure owners and operators to report if they experience a substantial cyberattack, or if they make a ransomware payment, was signed into law. Peters' bipartisan bills to enhance cybersecurity assistance to K-12 educational institutions, bolster cybersecurity for state and local governments, strengthen the federal cybersecurity workforce, and help secure federal information technology supply chains have also been signed into law.

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